Former for making boxes



(No Model.)

A. POLGER.

FORMER FOR MAKING BOXES. No. 467,986. 4 Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

Im/En 1- 4 @422; WC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR FOLGER, OF LEAVENlVORTII, KANSAS;

FORMER FORMAKING BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,986, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed March '7, 1891. Serial No. 384,179. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern- Be it known that I, ARTHUR FoLeEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Formers for Making Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to formers for making berry and other analogous boxes in which the bottom is separate from the sides, the said two parts being made usually of flexible strips of wood or veneering and joined together.

The object of the invention is to provide means for holding the bottom to a former while the strip comprising the sides is formed or shaped over said former and secured to the bottom.

It also has for its object the provision of means for holding the several parts and the arrangement of said means, whereby the operation of making the box is greatly facilitated and expedited.

For the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the construction and the combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, fOl'I11 ing a part hereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the former-block in section. Fig. 3 is a front view of the former-block.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the front legs, and B the rear legs, of the structure, the.front legs being preferably extended higher than the rear legs, as illustrated, so as to constitute standards serving to support parts hereinafter specified. The legs preferably spread outwardly frorn their upper to their lower ends and are braced transversely by the cross-bars C and D. The front and rear legs are connected together by a horizontal bar or board E, the front end of which preferably extends between the front legs A and rests upon the cross-bars C. This baror board is suitably secured to its place. Next to the extended portions of the legs A is placed a transverse plate or board F, whose width is preferably the length of the strips that will constitute the sides of the box, and consequently it projects beyond one side of the board E, as illustrated. Projecting from the upper end of the board F is a former G, which in outline or cross-section may be of any desired shape or configuration corresponding to the shape the box is to bear. It is, however, preferably oblong and formed with angular corners a, as shown, so as to impart an oblong shape to the box, with eight sides,as illustrated. Opposite to this former, so as to coact therewith, is.a plunger or follower II, which serves to press the bottom of.

the box against the face of the former and assist in holding the same against it while the sides of the box are being formed and secured to the bottom. This follower or holder is secured to an arm I, which is suitably supported, so as to swing back and forth in order to move the holder to or from the former. This may be effected by connecting it to the board E by a hinge J, the arm extending through an opening K, made in the board, so that it may extend beneath the board and be connected to suitable operating mechanism. The arm is passed through the board at a point back from the plate or board F, so as to leave a space between the arm and board.

F sufficient to form a seat or rest L, on which 7 will be piled the strips M from which the sides of the box will be made, While the portion of the board E back of the arm will constitute a seat N for the operator of the machine.

At a suitable place beneath the board E there is pivoted a foot-lever 0, it being illustrated as pivoted at one end to one of the front legs of the device, and as extending from one side to the other of the machine. This lever has a suitable connection with the arm I, say, by means of a chain or strap P, which will pass over a sheave or other guide Q. This construction is such that by pressing down on the foot-lever the lower end of the arm is drawn forward and the upper end thrown backward, so as to carry the follower or holder away from the face of the former.

Suitable means are employed for restoring the arm and holder to their normal position against the face of the former when the pressure on the foot-lever is released. For this purpose it is preferred to use a spring, which may be a coiled spring R, one end being secured to the arm I and the other end to a suitable part-say to one of the cross-bars D of the machine. By this arrangement the holder is thrown with force against the face of the former, for a purpose hereinafter appearing, and held there until the foot-lever is ain dep essed to m e ack the h er- Abiove'the board F is formed a shelf 5., the same preferably es ing o op. of the extended portions of the front less. A and being firmly s cured thereto. This shelf is provided, preferably, at the left-hand end with a two-sided compartment T for the blanks U, Which will orm the b toms f the boxes,and t th other end with a receptacle V for the brads ortacks that will be used for securing the two en s o the s d strip og her after bein haped on the forme A eleat or guide-strip V is placed at one end of the plate or board F, so as. to guide the side-forming strips as. each one. is. moved pwa d by hand preparatory to Shaping it on the former. This enables the strips to be p di iou ly guide te the pl ce on the fermer, so that their ends will meet at the poin on th op of the fo he i 1 ated a metallic plate for clinching the ends of the brads or fastenings as, they are forced th gh. the appin ends f e side st ips.

The'fa e f' h fo m is prov ed with ne o mor m l s a p-po t d p ojec in pinsY; so ha w en the b tt mor ng rip is placed against he a and he plunger or holder H is th o n y he f c of p ng R.

against the bottom strip the latter is driven firmly against the face of the former, and the pins thus caused t0 penetrate through the bottom strip, so as to assist the follower in holding it firmly against the former While the s de st ip is b ing: pr s d n o hap an p sition around the edges of the bottom strip. The corners Z) of the bottom strip extending beyond the square edges or corners a of the former, it is obvious that when the side strip is pressed around the former the projecting corners b of the bottom strip will penetrate through the side strip (see Fig. 1) and serve to hold the bottom in place after the ends. of the side strip are secured by their fastenings. A stop 0 will be arranged so as to limit the upward movement of the foot-lever as it is drawn back by the recoilof spring R. Abar Z is shown as extending upward from the cross-bar O and as being secured to it and at its upper end to the triangular-shaped bracelolock d, extending from between the upper ends of the front legs. This, however, is merely for bracing purposes and may be omitted.

In action the operator straddles the seat N, with one foot pressing on the foot-lever Q, so as to throw the. follower or holder H back from the face of the former. He lifts with the left hand one of the bottom strips Ufrom the pile and places it against the face of the former. He then moves his foot from the lever, when the spring B. throws the follower or holder forward, causing it't-o press the bottom strip against the face of the holder with the pins Y penetrating through the strip. At the same time he lifts one of the side strips M from the pi u d ng it by th guard W u til it s ik agains t e und s de of the f mer, n h b nds the two endseaus ng them to hape o the f rme a d aps the r nds over the metallic e eh ng plate o he e H nex riv s. he fest i inssttaken rom e ec pt c e on t e top he through the side r p, nd the ends o th fastenin' are clinched by the metallic, plate of the m v H next pre e down the eot= ev h c a s a k he h l a d allows the box in its finished state to be slipped from off the former, and the operation of forming another box to proceed as before. It willtl u's be observed that the boxes. are made with the greatest expedition and every part essential .in formingthe same is in most convenient position for expeditious work.

I have described with particularity the several parts illustrated in the drawings, but witho mea ng to r s ri t myself to h deai er o as it. i obvious. tha many a te ation an be made. therein Without d part-- ing from the essential features of the invention.

Having described my inve tion a se o i s me s, What-I claim s- 1 In a box-forming machine, the combination, with the former and a movable arm carrying a holder adapted to press, the bottom of a box against the face of the former, of a rest beneath the former for theside-forrning strips and a vertical guide to one side .of said rest for the en of the Side-forming s rip to bear against for directing said strips in moving the same to. the former, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a box-forming machine, the combination of a former provided on its top. with a arm hinged to said board and extending above substantially as and for the purposes set and below it and carrying at its upper end a forth. I holder adapted to press the bottom-forming In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in strip against the face of the former, a lever presence of two witnesses.

for moving said holder-carrying arm away ARTHUR FOLGER. from the former, and a spring for throwing Witnesses:

the holder carried by said arm against the XVILLIAM SCOTT,

former on releasing pressure from said lever, SAMUEL T. SNODGRASS. 

